Grant and Funding Programs Offered by First Book Canada

First Book Canada is a national non-profit organization that seeks to level the educational playing field for children growing up in low-income communities. Rather than providing cash grants, the organization funds learning by distributing in‑kind resources: millions of brand‑new, high‑quality books, educational materials, and other essentials. Working through the First Book Canada Network — the largest online community of educators and programs serving kids in need across Canada — it ensures that resources reach classrooms, libraries, and community initiatives that would otherwise have little to no access.

Since 2009, First Book Canada has partnered with schools, early childhood programs, libraries, community organizations, publishers, corporations, and foundations to identify barriers to learning and to move books and learning tools directly into the hands of children and educators. The organization’s impact spans all 10 provinces and 3 territories, reaching hundreds of thousands of children annually.

The organization operates several recurring mechanisms that function like grant programs in kind. Through the First Book Canada Marketplace, registered members can access a curated repository of new books and educational resources at deeply discounted prices, leveraging aggregated buying power to lower costs for under-resourced communities. Pop Up Book Distributions and Featured Distributions offer opportunities for members to obtain carton quantities of new books for free or for only the cost of shipping.

Additional initiatives such as Disaster Relief, Reading Celebrations, and other featured projects respond to specific needs, from supporting communities affected by crises to organizing events where youth meet authors and receive free books. Across these initiatives, First Book Canada systematically channels donated inventory and philanthropic support into tangible learning materials for children in need.

First Book Canada’s primary beneficiaries are children and youth from low-income families, reached indirectly through frontline educators and program staff — classroom teachers, early childhood educators, librarians, community advocates, and other care providers. Membership in the Network is open to schools and non-profit programs serving children in need, allowing them to participate in distributions, access free or low‑cost resources, and benefit from evidence-based teaching tools created through the First Book Canada Accelerator.

By improving access to books and resources, the organization aims to raise literacy levels, foster a love of reading, strengthen self‑esteem, and help close the achievement gap. Surveys of Network members report marked increases in students’ interest in reading, self‑confidence, and educational outcomes after receiving resources from First Book Canada.

First Book Canada emphasizes purposeful collaboration, working with publishers, corporations, foundations, non-profits, academics, and public agencies to co-create solutions and expand the reach of its book distributions. The organization also highlights financial transparency: annual audited financial statements for “First Book Canada / Le Premier Livre” are published online, and the vast majority of revenue is devoted to programmatic costs. This combination of strong partnerships, a clear social mission, and transparent reporting positions First Book Canada as a key in‑kind funding provider within Canada’s literacy and education ecosystem.